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Chicken Pox - It is nearly
always the new mom or expectant mothers who ask
the question what is chickenpox? This disease
is a huge concern among women with young babies
Chickenpox is a highly contagious illness like
that of measles which we relate to in young
children, it is a common condition. Chicken pox
causes an itching skin rash with blisters which
can be treated with calamine lotion to
help ease the discomfort from scrawbing away at
the spots. The disease is caused by the
varicella-zoster virus and usually runs its
course without problems. It is a viral
infection and is easily transferred from one
person to another through direct contact with
the broken chickenpox blisters and through
airborne droplets.
The infectious
period lasts about three days, - before the
rash actual appears and until all the blisters
have formed scabs. Young children do not
understand that they can do a lot of harm by
scratching, so it is important to keep their
fingernails short and monitor the child’s
behaviour at all times.
The incubation
period between being infected with chickenpox
until the disease breaks out and symptoms
appear is 10 to 20 days. If you are worried
that you are not sure how to tell that your
child has chicken pox, fret not because listed
below are chicken pox symptoms to look out for
if your child is infected. A rash usually
appears on the body - face and later often
spreads to the scalp and limbs. It can also
spread to the mucous membranes especially in
the mouth - on and in and around the
genitals.
1
The rash is often itchy therefore the
importance to keep a watchful eye on the
child.
2 Small red spots
develop turning into blisters within a couple
of hours.
3
Normally within a couple of days, the blisters
turn into scabs.
4 Fresh blisters
can occur after three to six days.
5 The number of
blisters differs greatly from one person to
another.
6 The infected
patient may run a temperature.
7 These symptoms
are mild in young children.
8 Chickenpox lasts
7 to 10 days in children and longer in
adults.
As
we age chicken pox can leave the older person
with a longer recovery period. Adults are more
likely to suffer complications than that of an
infant. Who is at risk of complications?
Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox may
suffer more so than that of others. A weak
immune system in people can give reason for
concern if they catch chicken pox.
Those who are
under threat from contracting the
varicella-zoster virus can be given an
injection of varicella-zoster-immunoglobin to
boost their immunity.
Treatments
involved for healing chicken pox mostly
consists of medication just for easing the
symptoms. Bear in mind, that an infected person
will be contagious until new blisters have
stopped appearing, or until all the blisters
have scabs. It is wise to keep your child or
yourself away from others till the disease has
gone completely because of the infectious
qualities may still be present.
1
Avoid scratching the blisters because of the
risk of infection.
2 Cut the nails
short or make the patient wear
gloves.
Always wash after treating
your chicken pox or touching the spots and
scabs
Calamine lotion,
is a common medication used to help relieve
itching, and is very good for sunburn
too.
Have the patient
cool at all times even in the bedroom as heat
and sweat may make the itching worse. Remember
that bacteria may infect the blisters. Not in
all cases but scars may remain at the location
of the blisters on the body. In very rare
cases, chickenpox can result in complications
such as meningitis encephalitis, inflammation
of the heart (myocarditis) or Reye's
syndrome.
It
is good that news for the person who at an
earlier date may have had chicken pox because
they will have immunity to the disease of ever
catching it again. However, the virus may
return later in life as shingles. Shingles is
not a very nice condition and if you suffer
from shingles then you can infect others with
chickenpox, but cannot give shingles to someone
else.
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